Jobs and education are repeated over and over again in political rhetoric, and the two are not mutually exclusive. Only 22 percent of Alabamians have a college degree, six percentage points short of the national average.

The lack of a college degree can inhibit the ability to get a job, and the increasing cost of higher education is a monstrous obstacle for students.

Every year, Higher Education Day brings that struggle to the doors of state house in Montgomery to lobby for greater funding.

State funding has decreased rapidly since over the last five years, changing The University of South Alabama's status as a state-funded university to a state-assisted university.

In 2007, USA received $137 million in state-funding for the academic year. In 2014, it received shy of $100 million.

USA still has the lowest tuition in the state for its caliber, but it costs a student that lives on campus taking 15 hours of college credit more than $7,235 a semester to attend.

Since 2007, tuition has increased more than 30 percent due to losing more than $200 million in state funding.

At a cost of $14,000 a year, many are priced out of that bracket or choose to take the chains of student loans and wrap them around their future ankles.

USA took 200 student representatives to the statewide Higher-Ed Day event on Thursday amongst a crowd of students from other universities experiencing the same pain.

The Student Government Association had a large hand in meeting with legislators.

"We traveled to the State House and rallied for higher funding. I am glad Jag Nation
had great representation to advocate for higher funding. We had an amazing time
and also appreciate all of the Legislators' hard work to increase state funding," said SGA's Danielle Watson.

Professor Karen Peterson felt that February was the perfect time for the day.

"Higher Education Day in Montgomery could
not have come at a better time as the Education Budget came out of the Senate
with a cut from the Governor's proposal to fund higher education at a more
equitable level," she told Alabama Media Group.

"The University of South Alabama had one of the largest
contingents of students, faculty, staff, trustees, and alumni at the event. USA
had over 200 there to make our case to the state house for a return to 1/3 of
the education budget for higher education. The group lunched with their
legislators, met with them in their offices, and watched the Senate debate
before returning home."

Vice president of student affairs Dr. Mike Mitchell said the students are taking a stand and paying attention.

"They were so engaged in the rally and in visiting legislators," he said.

Higher Education Day is sponsored by the Higher Education partnership.